Education Attainment Levels of People 25 and Older

Academic Achievement

Education Attainment Levels of People 25 and Older

What does this measure?

The number of residents with a particular level of education in a region, expressed as a percentage of all residents 25 and older.

Why is this important?

An educated population makes a more attractive workforce and is better prepared to instruct the next generation of residents. High educational attainment represents a region's investment in human capital and preparation for long-term growth.

How is our region performing?

In 2012-16, 61% of residents age 25 and older in the region had attended at least some college, slightly above the state and national rates (both 59%). Just 10% of adults in the region lacked a high school diploma, lower than both the statewide (14%) and national (13%) rates, and 31% had their bachelor's degree or higher, compared to 35% statewide and 30% nationally. Regional educational achievement rose from 2000 through 2012-16, with the rate of individuals with no high school diploma falling 6 points and the rate of individuals with a bachelor's degree or higher increasing 5 points. Among the individual counties, Genesee had the highest rate of adults having attended some college, at 34%, while Yates had the lowest rate at 28%. In the City of Rochester, 29% of residents had attended at least some college, in line with many counties in the region, but the city also had the highest rate of individuals without a high school diploma, at 19%. The percentage of city residents without a high school diploma fell 8 points from 2000.

Notes about the data

The multi-year figures are from the Census Bureau's American Community Survey. The bureau combined five years of responses to the survey to provide estimates for smaller geographic areas and increase the precision of its estimates. The survey provides data on characteristics of the population that used to be collected only during the decennial census. Data for this indicator are expected to be released in the fourth quarter.

Featured Indicator

The percent of students tested who met or exceeded the state standard on the NYS Grade 3 English exam. Student performance is scored from level 1 to 4. The state standard is met by scoring at level 3 or 4 and is considered passing.